Calculated Surface Area Research Articles

Hydrothermally fabricated MoTe2/rGO as a proficient electrocatalyst for robust oxygen evolution reaction

The faster depletion of fossil fuels owing to overconsumption has encouraged the invention of eco-friendly energy conversion methods, resulting in an intensifying energy shortage and sustainability issues. The increasing energy demand compels researchers to investigate novel strategies for water electrolysis and energy conversion. However, fabricating a catalyst with minimal overpotential (η) for water oxidation is a difficult task. The recent research investigate the production of MoTe2 nanoparticles imbedded in rGO nanosheet to generate MoTe2/rGO composite using a hydrothermal technique. Various physical procedures were assessed to analyze the structure, vibrational modes, shape and elemental analysis of the prepared composite. The BET calculated surface area for the MoTe2/rGO composite is (62.3 m2 g−1), which is preferable for the OER procedure. The electrochemical results show that the composite exhibits a Tafel value (36 mV dec−1) with η of 201 mV at 10 mA cm−2 current density (j). Chronoamperometric analysis and cyclic endurance of the composite show stability for 42 h. The electrochemical outcomes show that incorporating rGO into MoTe2 increases electrocatalytic surface area, resulting in the greater adsorption of the electrolyte ions and active areas, allowing for rapid adsorption of electrolyte ions and lower resistance. The present study demonstrates a novel way for producing highly efficient rGO-based electrocatalysts, which improve OER efficiency and open up new paths for their widespread use in various applications.

Gold doped Wollastonite hybrid nanocomposites as a candidate for bone regeneration/healing applications: Biocompatibility and antimicrobial efficacy

This work investigates the bioactivity of pure Wollastonite and gold-doped Wollastonite nanohybrids synthesized via a wet chemical technique. Doping with gold nanoparticles at different ratios for Wollastonite, where a dramatic decrease in the respective average particle sizes at the lowest doping ratio of 1.25 wt./v%, then the particle size raised gradually with an increase in the content of gold nanoparticles. In addition, a significant increase in the calculated surface area and the cumulative pore volume upon incorporating gold nanoparticles with the lowest doping ratio of 1.25 wt./v% is associated with a slight decrease in the average pore size. Then, a gradual decrease in the calculated surface area and cumulative pore volume with the increase of doping ratio with gold nanoparticles is associated with an increase in average pore size. The results revealed that after two days of incubation for treated MG-63 cells, the W/Au 5 wt./v% showed the significantly highest alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity among all other concentrations and the control cells. The ALP activity exceeded four mU/mL. After four days of incubation, the ALP activity in all doping ratios was significantly higher than the control cells, with no significant difference among other groups, but lower than ALP levels after two days of incubation. Also, pure Wollastonite and gold-doped Wollastonite nanohybrids, especially the lowest doping ratio of 1.25 wt./v%, have remarkable efficacy in combating E. coli (Gram-negative), S. aureus (Gram-positive) and Candida albicans. In vitro studies showed that pure Wollastonite and gold-doped Wollastonite nanohybrids had minimal cytotoxic effects on osteosarcoma MG-63 cells, while they showed remarkable cell proliferation even at low concentrations. Based on the in-vitro ALP, bioactivity and biocompatibility results, the content of ALP can directly reflect the activity or function of osteoblasts and is positively correlated with the mineralization ability of cells, which shows that pure and gold-doped Wollastonite nanohybrids were suitable candidates for bone regeneration/healing applications.

Basic Morphology and Morphometry of Lake Danao in Ormoc City, Leyte, the Philippines

Information on the morphology and morphometrics of Lake Danao – an integral part of the Lake Danao Natural Park in Ormoc City, Leyte, the Philippines – is incomplete and obsolete, which necessitates validation and updating. To address this gap, GIS, ground truthing, and bathymetric surveys using modern methods and technology alongside classical computing approaches were conducted in July 2022 to verify the accuracy and provide supplementary information to the lake’s existing basic morphometrics compiled from various sources. The results revealed a maximum length of 2,962 m, a maximum width of 825 m, and a shoreline length of 8.23 km. The relative depth (6.43%) and basin permanence index (6.83) demonstrated the lake’s extensive depth (maximum = 85.8 m). Using the frustum volume formula, Lake Danao is estimated to hold a maximum of ~ 56,214,143.56 m3 of water. The calculated surface area is 1,398,300 m2, 5.4% smaller than the previously published area of 1,480,000 m2 by NAMRIA in 1956. Additional studies are needed to confirm if this discrepancy is due to limitations in previous mapping techniques or indicative of actual area shrinkage. Local authorities can use these findings to update Lake Danao’s basic morphology and morphometrics information and conduct further research. However, cautious application of the results is necessary when drafting conservation and management strategies for the sustainable development of the protected area.

Enhanced Kinetics of Oxygen Reduction Reactions in Alkaline Solutions inside Mesoporous Electrodes

Oxygen reduction reactions (ORR) in alkaline solutions attract increasing attention for their use as the cathodic reaction in metal-air batteries and alkaline fuel cells. However, the commercialization of these systems is impeded by high activation and concentration overpotentials of ORR, which originate from the sluggish kinetics on the catalyst surface and oxygen transport in the electrolyte, respectively. Although the practical electrode enables a decrease of the overpotentials with the porous structure, the effect of inner pores has not been understood. Among various pore sizes, it is crucial to investigate an electrochemical behavior in mesopores with a size of a few nm since such confined structures possibly change the intrinsic catalytic kinetics.1 In this study, we evaluated the ORR activity in the mesopore using Pt model electrodes with arrays of cylindrical pores with uniform pore sizes (Fig. a). We investigated the activity dependence on the electrode thickness to separate activation and concentration overpotentials, and found that the activation overpotential inside the mesopore with a size of 1.8 nm is smaller than that measured with the planer electrode. Pt model electrodes were electrodeposited from platinum salt in a liquid crystalline phase of a surfactant.2 The liquid crystalline phase was obtained by mixing 29 wt% of H2O, 29 wt% of hexachloroplatinic acid, and 42 wt% of octaethylene glycol monododecyl ether. The three-electrode cell consisted of an Au disk (φ 4 mm) working electrode, a Pt wire counter electrode, and an Ag|AgCl|sat’d KClaq reference electrode. The deposition was conducted at –0.055 V and 25 °C, and the charge densities were adjusted to obtain the electrode thickness of ca. 45, 100, 380, and 900 nm. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was performed to observe the pore structure. Electrochemical surface area (ECSA) and ORR activities were evaluated by cyclic voltammetry in N2/O2-saturated 0.1 mol dm–3 KOH solutions with a rotating disk electrode system, consisting of the porous model or a polished planar Pt working electrode, a Pt wire counter electrode, and a Hg|HgO reference electrode. The scan rate and rotation speed were 20 mV s–1 and 2000 rpm, respectively. TEM image exhibits the honeycomb arrays of mesopores with a pore size of 1.8 nm and a pore distance of 4.9 nm (Fig. a). The model electrodes possessed polycrystalline facets, and ECSA was calculated from the hydrogen adsorption peak area in blank voltammetry (Fig. b). The ECSA matched closely with the geometrically calculated surface area, suggesting that the cylindrical pores are uniformly distributed on the electrodes with defined pore lengths (Fig. c). ORR activities were evaluated with the Tafel plots (Fig. d), with current densities corrected for ECSA and concentration overpotential outside the mesopores. Since the oxygen transport resistance or the concentration overpotential is higher in longer pores, the electrodes with longer pore lengths caused smaller ORR current densities. In contrast, the concentration overpotential was suppressed enough to extract the activation overpotential when the pore length was 45 nm and 100 nm, and these electrodes led to higher ORR current density than the planar electrode. The result indicates that the activation overpotential inside the mesopore with a size of 1.8 nm is smaller than that measured with the planer electrode. We will report the origin of the enhanced kinetics inside the mesopore from the viewpoint of the electronic structure change.

Разработка методов получения углеродных адсорбентов на основе Ангренского угля и нефтяных остатков

Currently, activated carbon adsorbents are widely used in the world for industrial wastewater treatment from various organic compounds, sorption of heavy metal ions and life-threatening radioactive substances. Carbon adsorbents with hydrophobic properties are mainly modified based on the brown coal, coke, scape, and bark of plants. The methods of manufacturing coal adsorbents based on Angren coal, petroleum coke and asphaltenes are listed. The physicochemical composition and complete thermodynamic properties of the activated carbon adsorbent were studied. It was found that during the heat treatment of mixtures of carbonaceous raw materials, its mass is lost with increasing temperature. At the same time, the adsorption activity of iodine increases with increasing temperature. Depending on the change in temperature of the obtained carbon adsorbent samples, the calculated surface area with respect to iodine is 280.7 m2/g with a weight loss of 0.2 g. The differential heat of adsorption, isotherm, molar entropy and thermokinetics of the benzene and toluene molecules studied in the article are calculated. The adsorption of 4.5 mmol/g of benzene and 3.5 mmol/g of toluene on the activated carbon adsorbent was determined. It is noted that during the adsorption of benzene and toluene by the obtained adsorbent from activated carbon, the differential heat of reaction gradually decreases. When recalculating the isothermal adsorption of benzene and toluene on activated carbon according to the equation of the volumetric theory of micropore saturation, it was obtained that 84.5 % of benzene and 94.2 % of toluene were adsorbed on the pores of the adsorbent.

Changing the calculated surface area of wood samples to define drying schedules for Eucalyptus clones

The aim of this study was to determine how varying the inputted surface area value of wood samples would affect the determination of kiln-drying schedules using the drastic drying test. For this purpose, eight individuals of two Eucalyptus clones were selected. Specimens were obtained for drastic drying tests at 100 °C, to measure the basic density and to determine the initial moisture content. The initial and final temperatures and the drying potential were calculated in 100 mm × 50 mm × 10 mm samples, considering the surface area to be 130 cm² (Updated Method), in contrast to the surface area of 100 cm² that is commonly used in the method known as the Standard Method. Based on these findings, kiln-drying schedules were set for the lumber from each clone. Although the significant differences aforementioned, it was observed that the drying schedules developed by Standard Method and Updated Method are similar.

Electrochemically enhanced adsorption of organic dyes from aqueous using a freestanding metal–organic frameworks/cellulose-derived porous monolithic carbon foam

Monolithic carbon foams are promising materials for adsorption due to the easy recyclability and without secondary-pollution. However, poor adsorption efficiency for organic pollutants limits its practical application. Hence, this work proposed a novel monolithic porous carbon foam by a facile carbonization approach as freestanding electrodes to remove the organic dyes. The prepared carbon foam derived from waste cigarette filters and zeolitic-imidazolate frameworks-8 with well-developed pores, and the calculated surface area is 1457 m2·g−1, and exhibited an outstanding removal efficiency for methylene blue in aqueous. The maximum adsorption capacity for methylene blue can reach up to 1846.7 mg·g−1 under the applied voltage of −1.2 V. Importantly, as-prepared carbon foams possessed excellent stability, and the removal efficiency can remain above 85% after 5 cycles. Thus, obtained porous carbon foams in this paper as a free standing electrode is expected to be promising materials of adsorbent besides supercapacitors.

Adsorption Kinetics and Isotherm Study of Basic Red 5 on Synthesized Silica Monolith Particles

The Silica monolith particles (SMP) were prepared from Tetra-Methyl-Ortho-Silicate (TMOS) and characterized by Fourier transforms infrared (FTIR), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and surface area analyzer. FTIR analysis showed the Si−O stretching confirming SMP formation. SEM analysis provided information about the mean diameter of SMP (1−5 µm). EDX confirmed the presence of silicon and oxygen in the SMP. Moreover, the calculated surface area for SMP was found to be around 367 m2/g, whereas BJH pore size distributed particles were 87.15 along with the total pore volume and pore radius of 0.073 cm3/g and 16.627 Å, respectively. Besides, the removal efficiency was found to be about 96%. Various kinetic equations were used to calculate the adsorption parameters. Overall, the results show that the most appropriate model for the kinetics data was the pseudo-second order kinetics model while the mechanism of adsorption was best explained by the Langmuir isotherm. The highest removal of Basic Red 5 dye after 120 min at 298 K was 576 mg/g. Moreover, the thermodynamics parameters (Enthalpy, Gibb’s energy, and Entropy) were also estimated. The ΔH° (0.995 kJ/mol) value depicted the endothermic nature of the process. The non-spontaneous aspect of the process was evident from the ΔG° values which were 60.431, 328.93, and 339.5 kJ/mol at 293, 303, and 313 K, respectively. From the high removal efficiency value, it can be concluded that the prepared adsorbent can be a potential adsorbent in the reclamation of dyes from wastewater.

Modeling and Assessing Heat Transfer of Piglet Microclimates

High piglet pre-weaning mortality rates can be attributed to poor creep area microclimate resulting in negative productivity, welfare, and economic consequences. A piglet mechanistic steady-state thermal balance model was developed using previous models and expanded to assess (a) thermal interactions of multiple pigs and (b) conduction heat transfer. The piglet Effective Environment Temperature (EET) equation was also modified to incorporate piglet age (day 0 to 30) and a conduction heat transfer term. Model parameters were validated with empirical data consisting of the thermal component (dry-bulb temperature, Tdb; mean radiant temperature, TMR; airspeed, U; mat underside temperature, Tm) of the microclimate and dimension data of the piglets (i.e., body weight, length, height, width, and calculated surface area). Model results demonstrate that the common microclimate supplemental heat sources (heat mats and heat lamps; HL) can meet the needs of the piglets. The new EET was more consistent for a novel semi-enclosed heated microclimate (SEHM) in comparison to the HL. This demonstrates the benefit of precision technologies over manually adjusted supplemental heat sources. The experimental data and model results suggest further development of an ideal thermal index for piglet microclimates needs to account for variations of piglet health and body condition to be more applicable in industry.

Fluorescence resonance energy transfer monitoring of pH-responsive doxorubicin release from carbon dots/aptamer functionalized magnetic mesoporous silica.

Aim: To develop a novel theranostic nanoplatform for simultaneous fluorescent monitoring and stimuli-triggered drug delivery. Materials & methods: Different microscopic and spectroscopic techniques were used for the characterization of nanocarriers. MCF-7 and human umbilical vein endothelial cell lines were cultured and treated with different doses of doxorubicin-loaded nanocarriers. The cell viability and drug release were studied using MTT assay and fluorescence microscopy. Results: Biocompatible and mono-disperse nanocarriers represent hollow and mesoporous structures with the calculated surface area of 552.83m2.g-1, high magnetic activity (12.6 emu.g-1), appropriate colloidal stability and high drug loading capacity (up to 61%). Conclusion: Taxane-based carbon dots act as the pH-responsive gatekeepers for the controlled release of doxorubicin into cancer cells and provide a fluorescence resonance energy transfer system for real-time monitoring of drug delivery.

The effect of a known object in a static image of a burn to improve the burn size estimation

IntroductionCurrently information regarding burn size from referring departments to burn centres varies in accuracy. Inaccurate assessment of burn size can lead to over or under treatment. Photographs of injuries may improve accuracy of assessment. We aimed to assess the accuracy of measuring burn size on a static image by including a standard object in the image. MethodsSimulated burn areas were drawn on different body parts of the model. Using an iPhone® model 5 s with an 8 megapixel camera we took photos of the marked area, and repeated them with the palm, a standard bank card and a penny in the picture. First the Du Bois formula, was used to calculate body surface area. Members of the Burns team were asked to view the photos (n = 30) and estimate the percentage of the simulated burn. ResultsWe found an overall overestimation of burn size. Small areas of the forearm were better estimated and within 1.1% of the calculated surface area, however we found no improvement when using a standard object in these images. The back areas were most overestimated ranging from 0.9%–8.9% despite all being the same sized area. ConclusionsStatic images tend to overestimate burn size despite the use of a standard object in the image.

Lecithin coating as universal stabilization and functionalization strategy for nanosized drug carriers to overcome the blood-brain barrier.

Lecithin coated cholesteryl oleate (ChOl) based nanoparticles (NPs) imitating natural lipoproteins represent a new and promising drug carrier strategy to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB). In such systems lecithin serves as stabilizing as well as functionalizing agent and enables the adsorptive binding of apolipoprotein E3 (ApoE) as potential drug targeting ligand. The present work is focused on the effect of size reduction on the lecithin coating and ApoE binding. Furthermore, the transferability of this lecithin coating strategy to other NP cores, namely polylactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) and polylactic acid (PLA), is investigated in order to provide a universal strategy for a wide range of cores to overcome the BBB. The ChOl NPs' size was successfully reduced from 100nm to 70nm. Varying the core size of ChOl NPs illustrated, that the at least needed lecithin amount for sufficient stabilization could be calculated surface area dependently. However, the size reduction led to reduced dye loading per NP and increased ApoE need per NP mass. These effects turned out as huge disadvantages of smaller NPs by weakening the observed ApoE mediated effects. Nevertheless, the extended understanding of the lecithin coating could be used to transfer the concept to other core materials. PLGA and PLA NPs were investigated as alternative core materials for lecithin coating. PLGA was found to be unsuitable, whereas in the case of PLA sufficient stabilization and 100% adsorptive binding efficiency to ApoE could be achieved. The ApoE mediated effects of transcytosis at an in vitro BBB model by bypassing lysosomes were reproduced in even stronger quantities than with a ChOl core, proving lecithin coating as transferable strategy to disguise various NPs with a certain lipophilicity as lipoproteins.

Multibranched gold nanoparticles coated with serum proteins fit for photothermal tumor ablation

Photothermal tumor ablation might be carried out with multibranched gold nanoparticles (MBAuNPs) having maximum absorbance (Amax) in the infrared region and functionalized with ligands that would bind them to the target tumor markers. However, in nanomedicine applications, the nanostructures must reach their target tissues to be effective, but the corona of serum proteins they instantaneously acquire when administered by intravenous injection may affect their activity; for this reason, we decided to analyze the effect that exposing MBAuNPs to bovine serum albumin (BSA) and human serum (HS) have on their protein corona and physical properties. The synthesized spherical Au seeds stoichiometrically generate piñata-like MBAuNPs of 8–20 peaks potentially useful for photothermal tumor ablation since they induce hyperthermia of more than 4 °C in phantom gels mimicking the skin irradiated with an 808 nm laser at 0.75 W/cm2. The calculated surface area of MBAuNPs ranges from 24 984 nm2 to 40 669 nm2, depending on the number of peaks we use for modeling the NPs. When MBAuNPs are exposed to BSA, they acquire a protein corona with an internal “hard” portion composed by one or two layers of BSA containing ∼1000–4000 molecules covalently bound to their surface, and an external “soft” portion formed by agglomerated BSA molecules linked by non-covalent bonds. Functionalization with BSA decreases the tendency of MBAuNPs to agglomerate and increases their size dispersion. MBAuNPs and MBAuNPs–BSA exposed to HS bind HS albumin and other HS proteins ranging from 25 kDa to 180 kDa that increase their hydrodynamic diameter and decrease their stability. We conclude that MBAuNPs exposed to serum albumin and HS instantaneously acquire a hard and soft protein corona that may affect prior or subsequent functionalization aiming to direct them to specific cell or tissue targets.

Hierarchical Porous Structure of Niobium Prepared By an Electrochemical Method

Fabrication of meso-/macro-porous electrode materials is known to be one of the effective ways to improve the performance of functional electrochemical devices since the porous structure would provide large surface area and allow rapid transport of atoms and ions. Recently, niobium (Nb) or Nb-based porous material has drawn much attention because of its highly versatile chemical and physical properties. There are various ways to form the porous Nb structure, such as hydrothermal, sol-gel, anodic oxidation and electrochemical etching methods. Among them, an electrochemical etching method is noteworthy because it is cost-effective, and the porous structure of the surface is easily tunable by adjusting etching conditions. Nevertheless, the general use of a noxious chemical (e.g. HF) for Nb porous structure formation needs to be avoided and then the creation of highly-porous Nb structure using F--free, more environmentally-benign chemical is still a challenge.In this work, the novel hierarchical Nb porous structure is created by an electrochemical method by using F--free etching solution. In particular, it is confirmed that the pulse etching is far more effective to form a hierarchical or self-similar fractal porous structure of Nb than conventional continuous etching, most likely due to the repetitive and incessant supply of aggressive anion. It is further proved experimentally that the initial concentration of aggressive anion is one of the essential factors in forming well-defined, high-order hierarchical Nb porous structure. Under the optimal etching condition, the porous Nb structure with more than 3 hierarchical order can be successfully created by single etching process.On the basis of the experimental observation of pore shape, the formula for the surface area of porous Nb is derived as a function of the hierarchical order of pore. From the comparison of the theoretically calculated surface area with the experimentally estimated one, the actual pore shape along with the hierarchical order of pores can be reasonably analyzed. In this presentation, the governing factors to construct a hierarchical Nb porous structure are suggested. Moreover, the utility of the formula between surface area and hierarchical pore order is discussed in terms of the non-uniformity of porous structure and hypotheses used to derive it.

In Situ Carbonylative Synthesis of Aromatic Esters and Formation of Quinazoline‐2,4(1H,3H)‐diones by Chemical Fixation of CO2 in Assistance of Polymer‐Supported Palladium Catalyst

AbstractIn this work, a functionalized chloromethylated polystyrene supported polymer complex of palladium was designed and synthesized in the three‐step process. The synthesized heterogeneous Pd(DAP‐DEAS‐MERF) catalyst was characterized by Field emission scanning electron microscopy, Energy dispersive analysis of X‐rays, Elemental mapping, Atomic absorption spectroscopy, N2‐BET adsorption‐desorption isotherm, High‐resolution transmission electron microscopy, Thermogravimetric analysis‐Differential thermal analysis, Powder X‐Ray diffraction and Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy. The calculated surface area of the synthesized Pd(DAP‐DEAS‐MERF) catalyst is 4.018 m2/g and palladium content is found to be 5.16 % from AAS analysis. After this, the synthesized catalyst was successfully applied for the synthesis of aromatic esters and quinazoline‐2,4(1H,3H)‐diones in high efficiency. Aromatic esters were synthesized by the in‐situ carbonylative coupling reaction of iodobenzenes and phenols using chlorofirmand KOH as CO source.In the case of quinazoline‐2,4(1H,3H)‐diones synthesis, CO2 fixation reaction was performed with 2‐iodoaniline derivatives and tert‐butyl isocyanide/cyclohexyl isocyanide under atmospheric CO2 pressure. The synthesized products were identified by 1HNMR spectroscopy after purifying by coloum chromatography technique. In this report, Pd(DAP‐DEAS‐MERF) catalyst proved its efficiency by providing a comparatively better reaction condition than the other reported homogeneous and heterogeneous catalytic systems. Additionally, the catalyst isrecyclable up to six times and thermally stable up to 319 °C.

Elaborative Studies on Non‐Porous Carbon Material for Super Capacitor Application

AbstractThis study demonstrates a simplistic and effectual approach to prepare non‐porous carbon for which nitrogen is doped in poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) in presence of catalyst cobalt chloride (COCl2). Characterization of the prepared non‐porous carbon is carried out using Raman, X‐ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller. The calculated surface area of the prepared carbon is 15.78 m2 g−1. To compare the performance of prepared non‐porous carbon with pure PVC as an electrode material for supercapacitor application, two EDLC cells are prepared. In both the cells, 1‐ethyl‐3‐methylimidazolium thiocyanate (ionic liquid) is used as an electrolyte and filter paper is used as a separator. Six times increment is found in the specific capacitance value of EDLC prepared using nitrogen‐doped carbon (NC‐CO) than prepared using pure PVC. The calculated specific capacitance values using low‐frequency impedance spectroscopy are 62.28 and 7 F g−1, respectively, for NC‐CO and pure PVC.

Simple synthesis and characterization of Cs0.3WO3.15/Cs3PW12O40 composite for fast adsorption of cationic dyes from water

In this study, cesium-based polyoxometalate compounds (Cs0.3WO3.15/Cs3PW12O40) were successfully synthesized by a simple thermal decomposition method. The effect of phosphoric acid within reaction solution on the phase-change from hexagonal cesium tungstate (Cs0.3WO3.15) to Keggin-type polyoxometalate (Cs3PW12O40) and a novel Cs0.3WO3.15/Cs3PW12O40 composite formation were investigated. The products were characterized by XRD, FTIR, FESEM, EDS, DRS, and nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms. The powder samples were applied as adsorbent to remove the dye molecules from water. Results indicated that the Cs0.3WO3.15/Cs3PW12O40 composite exhibits higher adsorption capability toward cationic dyes compared with pure Cs0.3WO3.15 and Cs3PW12O40. The calculated surface area of pure composite was ~ 32.079 m2/g, which is larger than that of pure cesium tungstate (~ 17.267 m2/g). The kinetics and isotherms for RhB adsorption on Cs0.30WO3.15/Cs0.30WO3.15 composite were also studied in details.

Fabrication of Ultra-Pure Anisotropic Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles via Simple and Cost-Effective Route: Implications for UTI and EAC Medications.

The purposes of this work are to evaluate the antimicrobial, antibiofilm, anticancer, and antioxidant abilities of anisotropic zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) synthesized by a cost-effective and eco-friendly sol-gel method. The synthesized ZnO NPs were entirely characterized by UV-Vis, XRD, FTIR, HRTEM, zeta potential, SEM mapping, BET surface analyzer, and EDX elemental analysis. Antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities of ZnO NPs were investigated against multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria and yeast causing serious diseases like urinary tract infection (UTI). The anticancer activity was performed against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC). Additionally, antioxidant scavenging activity against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) was observed. The synthesized ZnO NPs exhibited an absorption peak at 385.0nm characteristic to the surface plasmon resonance (SPR). Data obtained from HRTEM, SEM, and XRD confirmed the anisotropic crystalline nature of the prepared ZnO NPs with an average particle size of 68.2nm. The calculated surface area of the prepared ZnO NPs was 10.62m2/g and the porosity was 13.16%, while pore volume was calculated to be 0.013cm3/g and the average pore size was about 3.10nm. The prepared ZnO NPs showed promising antimicrobial activity against all tested UTI-causing pathogens. It showed a prominent antimicrobial capability against Candida tropicalis with a zone of inhibition (ZOI) reaching 22.4mm, 13mm ZOI for Bacillus subtilis, and 12.5mm ZOI for Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Additionally, the prepared ZnO NPs showed enhanced biofilm repression of about 79.33%, 72.94%, and 33.68% against B. subtilis, C. tropicalis, and P. aeruginosa, respectively. Moreover, the prepared ZnO NPs had a powerful antioxidant property with 33.0% scavenging ability after applied DPPH assay. Surprisingly, upon ZnO NPs treatment, cancer cell viability reduced from 100 to 58.5% after only 24h due to their unique antitumor activity. Therefore, according to these outstanding properties, this study could give insights for solving serious industrial, pharmaceutical, and medical challenges, particularly in the EAC and UTI medications.

Novel Ce0.8Pr0.2O2 nanotube arrays synthesized by hydrothermal method with excellent catalytic performance

Abstract In this research, nanotube arrays of Ce0.8Pr0.2O2 were synthesized on a monolith cordierite honeycomb by the low temperature hydrothermal method. Pre-synthesized ZnO nano-rods on cordierite act as a hard template for Ce0.8Pr0.2O2 deposition. The formation of Ce0.8Pr0.2O2 nanotube arrays was characterized by XRD, selective chemical leaching, BET, and FESEM. The calculated surface area of Ce0.8Pr0.2O2 nanotube arrays was 80 m2/g. The external diameter and the wall thickness of Ce0.8Pr0.2O2 nanotube arrays were 250 and 100 nm, respectively. In addition, Ce0.8Pr0.2O2 nanotube had a length of about 1 μm. Pd decorated nanotube arrays catalyst present a lower light-off temperature and a higher thermal stability than a commercial catalyst in CO conversion catalyst test. Thermal stability of this catalyst is 10 times more than the commercial catalyst at 200 °C. The excellent catalyst performance of Ce0.8Pr0.2O2 nanotube arrays can be attributed to the presence of praseodymium, a high surface area, and a thick wall of Ce0.8Pr0.2O2 nanotubes arrays.

Contraction and intracellular calcium transport in epicardial and endocardial ventricular myocytes from streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a global health problem. According to the International Diabetes Federation, 424.9 million people suffered from DM in 2017 and this number is expected to rise to 628.6 million by 2045. Although diabetes can affect every organ in the body, cardiovascular disease is a major cause of death and disability in people with diabetes. Diabetic patients frequently suffer from systolic and diastolic dysfunction. Within the ventricles, the electromechanical properties of cardiac myocytes vary transmurally. Aims and Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate contraction and Ca2+ transport in epicardial (EPI) and endocardial (ENDO) myocytes from the left ventricle in the streptozotocin (STZ) – induced diabetic rat heart. Materials and Methods: Experiments were performed 5-6 months after STZ treatment. Ventricular myocytes were isolated by enzymic and mechanical dispersal techniques from EPI and ENDO regions of the left ventricle. Contraction and free intracellular Ca2+ concentration [Ca2+]i were measured by video edge detection and fluorescence photometry techniques, respectively. Results: Myocyte length and calculated surface area were smaller in EPI-STZ compared to EPI-CON. Time to peak (TPK) shortening was prolonged in EPI-STZ compared to EPI-CON and in ENDO-STZ compared to ENDO-CON myocytes. Time to half (THALF) relaxation of shortening was prolonged in EPI-STZ compared to EPI-CON. TPK Ca2+ transient was prolonged in EPI-STZ compared to EPI-CON, ENDO-STZ compared to ENDO-CON, ENDO-STZ compared to EPI-STZ and in ENDO-CON compared to EPI-CON myocytes. THALF decay of the Ca2+ transient was prolonged in ENDO-STZ compared to ENDO-CON. Fractional release of Ca2+ was increased in ENDO-STZ compared to ENDO-CON and in ENDO-STZ compared to EPI-STZ. Recovery of the Ca2+ transient was prolonged in ENDO-STZ compared to ENDO-CON. Conclusion: In conclusion the kinetics of contraction and Ca2+ transient and fractional release of Ca2+ from the sarcoplasmic reticulum are altered to different extents in EPI and ENDO myocytes from STZ-induced diabetic rat.